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Kellen Frye taking over Fort Morgan soccer program

JV coach promoted this summer

New Fort Morgan boys soccer head coach Kellen Frye (center) talks to his team before warmups at a practice on June 15, 2016 at Pioneer Elementary School. (Brandon Boles / Fort Morgan Times)

When Fort Morgan soccer coach Nick Ng received an administrative position with the school district, the head coaching position for the boys soccer team became available. It would not take long to fill the role for the school.

Kellen Frye, the JV coach for the past couple seasons, was promoted to head coach for the Mustangs boys team for 2016.

"I'm really excited," Frye said. "I've been with these boys for a couple years now, so it's definitely nice to step in as the coach. Nick (Ng) was a great coach, and I'm eager to get started."

Frye wasted no time applying for the head coach position when it became available. He even heard from Ng about looking to take over the program.

Members of the Fort Morgan boys soccer team have been getting together for practices on Wednesday afternoons at Pioneer Elementary. (Brandon Boles / Fort Morgan Times)

"Within a week I applied for it," Frye said. "Nick (Ng) emailed me asking if I had applied, and at that point I all ready did and had an interview with (Fort Morgan athletic director) Kyle Bules lined up."

Now with the job official, Frye is getting his guys to Pioneer Elementary to practice on the soccer field at least once a week. Most of the practices have been having the guys split into teams and scrimmage against each other. Frye has also taken the field on occasion to work with the guys.

With his experience working with some of the younger athletes the past couple seasons, Frye hopes that will help ease the transition for both him and the players that will step into the varsity lineup this fall.

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"There is a lot of varsity material with those guys," Frye said. "I'm hoping that since they've played together for some years now that we'll have quite a bit of talent. These kids know how to play."

This summer, the team is looking for some new leaders and goal scorers for the upcoming season, as a number of seniors who carried that role have moved on. Frye listed a handful of athletes he is looking at to carry the scoring load this season and added that the summer will show who will step up to take on the role of captains as well.

The last two seasons have been heartbreaking ones for the Mustangs, losing the last game of the regular season and costing the team a chance to reach the postseason. Taking the next step and reaching the postseason is something Frye will look to accomplish.

"We just have to win," Frye said. "There were a couple games we were so close and made a couple mistakes that hurt us. I'm hoping we get a couple of those games in our favor to get in the playoffs."

Until the regular season begins, Frye and his team will continue to meet and work together this summer.

"I'm really excited to get going, even though it's only June," Frye said. "We're ready to get going."

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